


Laying the Past to Rest

by Pfain Ryder (Cat_Moon)



Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 07:01:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19371721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Pfain%20Ryder
Summary: Al and Sam run into Beth at a Navy function.  Sam is protective, possessive, and jealous.  Takes place in a universe where Sam never changed Beth's timeline.





	Laying the Past to Rest

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the fanzine, “Leaps From Hell.” 1994.

 

Standing there, nursing my drink and looking around the room at all the strange faces, I was reminded of attending Donna's family get-togethers. The kind where everyone knows everyone else -- except you. And you stand there like a jerk, not knowing anybody.

This time I didn't mind at all, though. I enjoyed my position as attentive listener completely, as Al and his old buddies reminisced. It made me feel closer to him, as if I too, had known him then. And he was enjoying himself, that was the most important thing.

Al almost hadn't come, I finally convinced him we could use a vacation anyway. We'd arrived the previous evening, gone to the San Diego Zoo that morning, now here we were. It was a sort of combination reunion/birthday party for Rear Admiral Phillip Stone. It seemed Stone always talked about his early days at the base as the best times of his life, so his family tracked down everyone assigned with him to help him celebrate his birthday. During his speech before dinner, he said it was the best birthday he'd ever had. He was the one in the corner, with the lamp shade on his head.

I'd stood by Al's side and laughed with them as they told their stories, trying to sort out the fish tales from the truth. With Al Calavicci involved, you never could be too sure.

So why was I now standing in a corner? Because I was a coward. Worse, an insecure jerk. Because when I came out of the bathroom and saw _her_ sitting there at our table in animated conversation, I couldn't bring myself to go over.

Instead, I got another drink and watched from a safe distance. I now realized why Al hadn't wanted to come. Probably afraid of running into Beth, not knowing how he'd handle it. Well, I didn't know how he'd handle it either. I kicked myself for not thinking of the possibility of her being here. I didn't like surprises, especially that kind. I'd done a little investigating, and learned Dirk had died three years ago. I knew it shouldn't bother me... but I also knew how Al had felt about her, once. Always the eternal gentleman, the fact that she had him declared legally dead while he was a POW didn't stop him from almost ruining his life, pining away for her all those years. When it came down to it, did I really know if he had her out of his system or not?

I ordered another drink.

The basic truth was, I didn't want her near him. Just like I didn't want him showing the least bit of kindness to Donna, who had repaid his friendship by not caring whether he lived or died. He didn't deserve that kind of treatment. I may have given him a rough time over the years, added some gray hairs, but I didn't pretend.  I always truly cared.

Now my feelings ran a hell of a lot deeper than caring. That Al shared those feelings was still a source of amazement to me.  I'd tried not to go into this relationship with any overly high expectations, but as I watched him chat pleasantly with the person he'd admitted was the only woman he ever wanted to grow old with, I knew it wasn't working. That was an understatement--it was failing miserably. Which about summed up the way I felt at the moment, too.

After another drink, I was tired of standing there and ready to exercise my free right to crash their little party of two. I grabbed a fresh drink and made my way unsteadily through the crowd, to our table.

Beth looked up as I stood there, and Al turned around. He seemed to be handling it okay, like he was having a nice talk with an old friend. Guiltily, I realized I would have preferred it be hard on him.

"There you are," Al said to me, then turned back to Beth. "Beth Simon, this is Sam Beckett."

I extended my hand ever so politely, and we shook. "So, you're the woman who had Al declared legally dead so you could re-marry, while he was stuck in a cage in Vietnam. Nice to meet you," I added, remembering my manners.

There was a lot of silence after that. Beth was flustered and looking guilty. I could tell Al had no idea what to say, either. I made myself at home in my chair, sipping my drink.

Al gave me a long glance. Remarkably, he didn't seem mad, just gave me one of his fond, 'what am I gonna do with you', looks. He turned his attention back to Beth, and I waited to see what would happen next. He wouldn't apologize, I was sure of that much at least.

Then he found his voice, and covered her hand with his. "You'll have to excuse him, he's had a little bit to drink..."

"It's the truth," Beth admitted, still ill at ease.

I wanted to mention what we'd done to each other in the hotel room before dressing for the party, longed to tell her of my claim on him. How I'd picked up the pieces she so carelessly ripped apart all those years ago.

Al cleared his throat. "Well, where were we?" he asked, trying to get the conversation back to whatever they'd been talking about before I got there.

She was visibly grateful for the diversion. "I was asking you if there was someone special in your life now."

"Yeah, and I said I'd been married and divorced a couple of times, but I finally found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

My ears perked up a bit. I raised my head to listen.

Al continued. "Then you asked if that person was here tonight." His voice softened. "As a matter of fact, he is. You just met him."

I blinked hard, feeling the wetness and knowing I was in danger of making a fool out of myself in public. Fitting, after all, I was a fool.

Al was letting me know exactly how he felt about me, that he wasn't ashamed of us, or afraid to admit it. But most importantly, he'd told _her_. In the telling, letting me know she was in the past. I was the future.

"Excuse me," I managed past the lump in my throat, and rose. "I have to go to the men's room." To pull myself together, before I did something extreme.  Like jump him.

When I came out a few minutes later, Al was waiting for me by the door. "You ready to leave?" he asked, putting a hand on my arm.

Yes, I was. I really wanted to be alone with him, so I could show him how much his gesture meant to me. "Are you sure you want to leave before the party's over?" I asked.

Al gave me a wink. "Baby, the party hasn't even begun."

 

**the end**

7/7/92

 

 

 


End file.
